Flexible coupling for tubes



FLEXIBLE COUPLING FOR TUBES Filea Sept. 14, 1956 2 Shets-Sheet F Z I 9 Z3 1 I 1% Z 2 g i Y 3 |L|| K (j ."HHIHIIM 4 J- A y 1 A. L. PARKER FLEXIBLE COUPLING FOR TUBES Filed se i. 14, 1936 2 Shegts-Sheet 2 Patented July 4, 1939 UNITED STATES PATIENT OFFICE I co r i zfltiron-mnns Applicat l?: ;p ;e:: $51 11 100,755

'icnm. (class-so) The invention relates to new and useful imprcvements in a flexible coupling'which may be used for joining a tube to another part or for joining two tubes in a line. 'An object of the invention is to provide a flexible tube coupling wherein a tube having a A tapered end is secured to the couplingmembers by a resilient' supporting sleeve which is caused to firmly grip the tube end and which in turn is flrmly clamped tothe coupling members in'a.

restricted region which permits the sleeve and tube to shift to different angular positions in the coupling members.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side view of a coupling with a tube joined thereto; I

Fig. 2 is a view showing the parts of the coupling separated and in perspective; Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale 29 through the coupling;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view F 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the tube with on the line 1-4 oi the end flared and with the clamping sleeveplaced thereon;

Fig. 6 is a view showing the clamping sleeve moved into gripping engagement with-the flared or tapered end of the tube; 1 Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing the tube as flexed or shifted to a position at an angle to the longitudinal axial line of the cum m e. a

Fig; 8 is a view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a modified form of construction.

In carrying out the invention, a resilient sleeve is formed which is adapted to hug ffl 'ly t tly the tube which is-to be clamped in the coupling members when said sleeve is slipped-over the same. This sleeve has one end thereof formed so 4 tube either before or after the couplingis placed thereon is tapered or flared in the usual manner. The resilient sleeve has a projecting flange at the opposite end from thetapered recess. A metal sleeve is slipped over the resilient sleeve so as to contact therewith in a region between the flange and the end having the tapered recess. these parts have been thus assembled on the tube.

then the sleeve is slipped along the tube until it contacts with the tapered end of the tube. As

the tapered end of the sleeve-contacts with the.

tapered end of theftub e, it is espandedihd this expansion is resisted by a metal collar surrounding the resilient sleeve, and thus a very flrm grip between the resilient sleeve and the tube can be as to provide a tapered recess.- The end of the made. The coupling may be of any desired contube Referring more in detail to the drawings, the which is to beclamped is indicated at I. slipped on to this tube is a resilient sleeve 2 preferably of rubber, although it may be made of any other material which is non-compressible and elastic. The sleeve is provided with a cylindrical body portion 3 from which projects a flange 4.

. The sleeve is shaped so as to provide a tapered recess 5. After the sleeve has been placed on the tube, the end of the tube is subjected to a flar- Y ing tool, and the end is flared or tapered as indicated at i. This tapered end of the tube conio'rms in ageneral way to the tapered recess 5 in the resilient sleeve. It is possible to slip the resilient sleeve on to the tube after the end is flared, if desired. and this would be the procedure in case the sleeve becomes .worn and it is desired 7 to replace the same in a coupling which has been installed for use. V

Aiter the resilient sleeve is placed on the tube, then the metal collar 1 is slipped over the same. This metal collar is slightly larger in diameter than the extreme diameter of the tapered end or the. tube. It its the sleeve snugly,

but with suiflcient looseness 'S0 that it may beslipped on to the sleeveby hand, if desired. extends from a point near the vPreferably a short distance from the end of the sleeve.

This metal collar flange Ito a point assembled as shown, is moved alongthe tube until it contacts with the tapered end thereof, as shown in Fig. 6. This may be done by hand, and

the sleeve pressed tightly As the resilient sleeve slides on to the tapered end, it tends to expand. The metal collar I, however, restrains it from expanding and the result is a veryflrm grip oi. the-'resllient sleeveagainst thei of tapered end thereof.

'Theillustrated be joined and particularly the flared or consists of a male member 8 and a.

female member] having a threaded connection against the tapered end.

coupling to which the tube is to Q indicated at it. The female member 8 is provided with an inwardly projecting flange ll having an opening i2 therethrough which is of larger diameter than the. diameter of the tube to be clamped in the coupling so as to permit lateral movement of the tube in the coupling. The imder face of the flange H is cut away at l3 so as to provide a clamping shoulder ll which contacts with the flange of the resilient sleeve in the region directly opposite the end ii of the male coupling member. The male coupling member is provided with a recess or chamber it which receives the tube end assembly with the flange 4 contacting with the end of the coupling member. When this female member is threaded onto the male member, the clamping shoulder II will flrmly clamp the flange against the end ii of the male coupling member, and thus it is that theresilient sleeve is attached to the coupling members. This serves as the sole means for connecting the resilient sleeve to the coupling member. The recess or chamber I6 is so dimensioned that there is a space between the metal collar I and the wall I! of said recess. The end of the tube is also spaced away from the coupling so that all of the parts of the resilient sleeve beneath the flange and the metalcollar 1 have a limited lateral movement in said chamber. The tube is not clamped against the coupling members, but is held solely through the clamping action of the metal collar co-acting on the resilient sleeve and the engagement of the resilient sleeve with the tube. This permits the tube to flex as shown in Fig. 7. When the tube shifts to a different angular position, the flange of the resilient sleeve will yield and permit this shifting of the tube. Theyielding portion of the sleeve is entirely in the flange and the resilient sleeve is not in any way released from its flrm gripping engagement with the tapered end of the tube.

In Fig. 8 of the drawings, there is shown a slightly modifled form of construction of metal collar. It is quite essential that this metal collar shall flrmly contact with the resilient sleeve and in order to facilitate the connecting of the metal collarto the resilient sleeve, the metal collar is provided with threads as indicated at la. These threads are of the ordinary construction and enable the metal collar by the turning thereof to be readily forced on to the resilient sleeve. If desired, the resilient sleeve may be threaded, or it may yield to accommodate the threads formed in the metal collar.

It will be noted that the metal collar is of miform diameter throughout and can be slipped over the tapered end of the tube. This enables the resilient sleeve and the metal collanto be assembled as shown in Fig. 5, and then the assembled parts forced on to the flared end of the tube to obtain a firm gripping Contact therewith. It will also be noted that'the coupling member 9 is cut away at ll so that the flange of the resilient sleeve is clamped in a region spaced away from the body portion of the sleeve. This, together 'with the cut-away portion mentioned, permits the deforming of the flange and the sleeve in the region thereof.

When it is desired to; disassemble the coupling for repair purposes, the resilient sleeve may be readily moved back away from the flared end of the tube, thus releasing the pressure against the metal collar'surrounding the same, and then the metal collar removed. This enables the resilient sleeve to be taken from the tube. and a new resilient sleeve substituted therefor.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat-- ent, is-

A flexible coupling for tubes including metal coupling member having a recess therebetween adapted to receive the tapered end of a tube, a resilient sleeve surrounding the tube, said sleeve having a laterally projecting flange at the inner end thereof, a metal collar of substantially uniform diameter adapted to slip over the resilient sleeve, said metal collar extending from a point adjacent the projecting portion of the resilient sleeve to a point adjacent the inner end thereof and dimensioned so as to cause said resilient sleeve to firmly grip the tube end and provide a ARTHUR L. PARKER.

. fluid-tight supporting engagement therewith 49' when moved into engagement with the tapered 

